Lord Rooker: Yes, we will be reviewing the benefits accruing from the installation of a wood-chip boiler at the Worcester office, as part of our action plan to reduce carbon emissions in line with targets for sustainable operations on the government estate, announced on 12 June.
	We are required to reduce carbon emissions by12.5 per cent by 2010-11 and 30 per cent by 2020 (against the baseline year 1999-2000). There is also a target for the central government office estate to be carbon neutral by 2012.
	As they use low-carbon technology, wood-chip boilers can make a significant contribution to achieving these targets. We are currently reviewing the efficiency of the Worcester boiler, in particular the flexibility to burn chips of varying moisture content and size, and plan to take forward the lessons learnt from that installation in considering similar projects at other sites on the Defra estate.

Lord Rooker: The Government are already working to raise product standards and encourage consumers to use the most efficient products available. This includes light bulbs.
	My department and HM Treasury are working with major retailers and the Energy Saving Trust to introduce voluntary schemes to raise the energy efficiency of the goods they sell. Initially it is expected that these schemes will focus on consumer electronics, but they may be expanded to other products.
	Defra's Market Transformation Programme (MTP) supports measures such as the mandatory EU energy labelling scheme (the "A to G label") which, for domestic light bulbs, has been mandatory since 1 January 2001. Energy labels provide clear and easily recognisable information about the energy consumption and performance of domestic products on a seven-point scale ranging from "A" (most efficient) to "G" (least efficient), thus enabling consumers to make a considered choice when purchasing energy consuming products.
	MTP also works with the Lighting Association, the Lighting Industry Federation, the Energy Saving Trust and the Energy Efficiency Partnership to promote energy-efficient lighting that is both commercially viable and acceptable to consumers.
	The Energy Saving Trust endorses and vigorously promotes the best lighting products under its energy efficiency recommended scheme, and building regulations require new housing to have a minimum number of energy-efficient fittings.
	Under the energy efficiency commitment, electricity and gas suppliers are required to meet targets for the promotion of improvements in domestic energy efficiency. They do this by encouraging and assisting household consumers to take up energy-efficient measures, including compact fluorescent lamps.

Lord Rooker: Under the terms of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's (RCEP) framework agreement with the department, a government response to their reports should be published within one year of publication. We agreed with the Royal Commission a longer time timetable for the response in this case. The Royal Commission recognised that the delay enabled the response to reflect developments on the Marine Bill.
	The key recommendation in the RCEP report was the need for a new framework for marine management. This could only be addressed in the Government response by including developments on the Marine Bill, after the public consultation on the Bill was launched on 29 March.
	The Scottish Executive responded separately to the Royal Commission's report. We agreed that they should respond to recommendations 66 to 70, 72 and 73 on aquaculture as these recommendations were directed specifically to them.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 12 July (WA 123), whether the requirement that "warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause" in the United States Bill of Rights is also a requirement under the British constitution and laws of the United Kingdom. [HO]

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	For each of the past three years, what contracts have been awarded and what payments have been made to Freud Communications by the Prime Minister's Office.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 10 July (WA 89), how many assistants currently support special advisers to Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office; and what is the nature of their services.

Lord Rooker: There is currently one member of staff working directly to the special advisers. This member of staff is employed to provide support of a non-political nature in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. The special advisers also receive support from Private Office staff.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 10 July (WA 89), how many assistants currently support special advisers to Ministers in HM Revenue and Customs; and what is the nature of their services.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The special advisers to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury are supported by three full-time staff.
	There are no special advisers to the Treasury Minister responsible for HM Revenue and Customs, the Paymaster General.
	Support to special advisers is provided in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Lord Rooker: The international ban on trade in ivory remains firmly in place and is fully supported by the UK Government. We remain clearly of the view that the illegal and unsustainable trade in ivory should not be permitted. We will not support any resumption in the commercial trade in ivory until we are satisfied that this will not result in an increase in the illegal killing of elephants, or undermine the conservation of elephant populations elsewhere in the world.
	The UK has been closely concerned in the debate surrounding proposals for one-off sales of stockpiled ivory, through our involvement in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). CITES has placed a number of strict pre-conditions that have to be met before one-off sales of ivory stocks could take place. In addition, the proceeds would have to be used exclusively for elephant and community conservation projects within, or near, the areas where the elephants reside. The UK will not support the proposed one-off sales if we are not entirely satisfied that the strict conditions are met.
	To assist any considerations, my colleague the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Biodiversity (Barry Gardiner) has asked the International Fund for Animal Welfare to prepare estimates of the cost of improving conservation measures to combat elephant poaching commensurate with ensuring that any stimulus such one-off sales of stockpiled ivory might give to the black-market trade would be more than offset by the improved conservation.
	From 20 March 2006, all applications for Article 10 certificates for un-worked ivory tusks are being refused regardless of origin or acquired date, unless there are very exceptional circumstances.
	Last year officials prepared a specific guidance note for antique dealers, in consultation with the British Antique Dealers Association, concerning the control of trade in endangered species. It contains information concerning the requirements that must be complied with by dealers when they are engaged in the sale of antique items in the UK or their export overseas, and the ramifications of non-compliance with the regulations. This was distributed to trade associations and to applicants and enquirers with antique queries.
	The findings of Care for the Wild's report, Ivory Markets in Europe, produced by Dr Esmond Martin and Dr Daniel Stiles last year, states there is no evidence of a large illegal market in ivory products in the UK or Europe as a whole. Although the scale of the UK's worked ivory market was ranked ninth out of 33 countries surveyed, the report concluded that most of this ivory trade was legal.
	Statistics from the Elephant Trade Information System (a global monitoring system established to track and assess the scale of illegal trade in ivory) has not revealed any significant problems of illegal ivory trade in the UK. We believe that there are far more serious ivory issues than that represented by the UK trade.
	We are working, within the context of the UK's commitment to reduce poverty in developing countries, to secure public and animal health here, and to meet a commitment to stem the loss of biodiversity globally. An interdepartmental ministerial body on biodiversity issues has commissioned a study into the importance of bushmeat to poverty alleviation and biodiversity loss. It is expected to report in Summer 2006. Improved forest governance and reduction in illegal logging are also seen as key to the sustainable management of forests and forest resources, which include bushmeat.

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many road bridges in north west England have been rebuilt or renewed in each of the years 2003—05.

Sport: Rally Ireland